House Leaders Reserve Floor Time for Infrastructure

As the House Ways and Means Committee prepares to hold its March 6 hearing examining the nation’s infrastructure, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said that House leadership has reserved floor time for an infrastructure bill with a target of late spring.

"We have tentative time reserved on the floor for infrastructure for late spring," he said speaking at a March 5 press conference. This puts the timeframe for action on infrastructure potentially within the next 100 days.

The timing of an infrastructure bill makes it critical for NATSO members to attend NATSO’s annual Day on Capitol Hill, scheduled to be held May 14-16 in Washington, D.C. NATSO members can register to attend here.

The House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy (including fuels excise taxes), works closely with the Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over transportation policies such as tolling and rest area commercialization.

It is expected that witnesses at the Committee hearing and House tax writers will address the issue of increasing the motor fuels taxes.

"You're going to see ... a panel that reflects the breadth of support for this," Rep. Blumenauer told reporters, "It's the broadest coalition for any issue that is allegedly controversial."